Air Seychelles receives IOSA certificate-National carrier earns continued access to Europe |12 November 2007

This follows the presentation on Friday of the airline with its IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certificate for having met the established international standards set by IATA.

IOSA is a set of standards which all member airlines are obliged to meet in its entirety by end 2008 if they are to retain membership of IATA (International Airline Transport Association).

IATA’s IOSA certification is internationally recognised for its safety evaluation system which is designed to assess the operational management and control of safety standards within the airline.

This very extensive and exacting audit is carried out by only seven approved auditing organisations in the world. IATA saw it necessary to institute such audits to improve on worldwide safety standards and to ensure that passengers choosing to fly on IATA’s member airlines are safe in the knowledge that the airline meets rigorous safety standards.

The national airline’s chief executive and chairman, Captain David Savy, received the IOSA certificate from IATA’s regional vice president for Africa, Vinod Chidambaram, at a ceremony held at the new CIP Lounge, Vallee de Mai on Friday, in the presence of the minister responsible for Transport, Joel Morgan.

Also present were the chairman of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, the chief executive officer of the SCAA, Gilbert Faure, and Air Seychelles board member Jean Paul Adam.

Congratulating Air Seychelles, CEO Faure remarked that it will now be increasingly more difficult to access Europe not only for IATA member airlines but also in view of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements which include IOSA certificates.

The handful of airlines that Air Seychelles has now joined from sub-Saharan African region include Air Mauritius, Comair (SA), Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Nationwide Airlines, Precision Air and South African Airways which have been placed on the IOSA register. An IOSA audit is valid for a two-year period at which time a new audit is required.

Speaking about the achievement for the national airline, Captain Savy said:
“Air Seychelles had realised the benefits that IOSA could bring in terms of raising our safety standards and giving our partner airlines and all customers the assurance that we meet the highest standards set by the industry.”
“Through an IOSA Operational Safety Audit certification, Air Seychelles can now clearly demonstrate to the industry that it has invested heavily in a safety management system that goes a long way to ensure compliance and proactive risk management in all operational areas.”

Air Seychelles benefits as a member of IATA from the vast experience of the other members. It also provides essential professional support to industry stakeholders with a wide range of products and expert services, such as publications, training and consulting. IATA’s financial systems also help carriers and the travel industry maximise revenues. A principal objective of IATA is to simplify processes and increase passenger convenience while reducing costs and improving efficiency.

Having achieved IOSA certification, Air Seychelles can more easily code share or have a joint venture with other IATA Members.

Captain Savy said that the airline commenced preparations for IOSA certification in November 2005. One of the seven certified IATA audit organisations, Wake QA – a UK based IOSA Audit Organisation -- was chosen to conduct the audit and submit the relevant reports and paperwork to IATA in Montreal. Given the magnitude and depth of those audits it is a fairly long process.

Early in 2006 Wake QA carried out a pre-audit review which looked at Air Seychelles’ safety documents, procedures and systems and also checked on the national airline’s compliance to the IOSA Standards and Recommended Practices (ISARPS). ISARPS ensures safe, efficient and productive operations in corporate management, flight operations, cabin services, engineering and maintenance, freight services; ground Services, dispatch and security. There are over 700 ISARPS encompassed in the audit.